One out from complete-game shutout, rookie Jonathan Cannon leads White Sox past Astros

Jonathan Cannon is on a roll.

Entering his start against the Astros Tuesday at Guaranteed Rate Field with one earned run allowed in his last 10 innings, the rookie right-hander strung together 8 2/3 more scoreless innings, carrying the White Sox to a 2-0 victory and notching his first major league win.

Cannon (1-1) allowed seven hits, one walk and struck out four batters before getting replaced by John Brebbia after a pair of two-out ground ball singles in the ninth, including Jon Singleton’s checked-swing hit inside the third base line. Cannon threw 106 pitches.

“I just go until they tell me to stop throwing,” said Cannon, who had much of the crowd (16,763 paid) on its feet in the ninth. “I was going to keep going until he came over and shook my hand.”

Brebbia got Victor Caratini on a ground ball to first baseman Andrew Vaughn, who drove in both Sox runs, to end the game.

Cannon was making his fifth start, including his second since getting recalled from Triple-A Charlotte. He was sent down in late April after pitching to a 7.24 ERA in three starts for the Sox. He worked on making adjustments against lefties, and when he he returned, he recorded a three-inning save with no runs allowed against the Red Sox on June 7, then gave up one run over seven innings against the Mariners last Wednesday.

“Extremely smart kid, never misses a sign, never complains about anything,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “He’s here to work, here to learn. Tremendous aptitude. And the willingness to learn. It’s not that easy to come up here, face a little bit of adversity, have some homework, go down there, fix it, adapt, come up here and apply it. And he’s done it.”

Mixing a sinker, cutter, sweeper and changeup, got 12 ground-ball outs in the two hour, two minute game.

“He’s a man on a mission,” catcher Korey Lee said.

The Sox (20-54) got runs in the third and fifth innings against Astros lefty Framber Valdez, both on fielder’s choice ground balls by Vaughn.

The last Sox pitcher to pitch a shutout was Dylan Cease against the Twins on Sept. 3, 2022, when Cease came an out from pitching a no-hitter.

“I think it’s hopefully the first of many [wins],” Cannon said. “I felt really good to go out there and get this team a win. I look forward to many more.”

The Astros were without slugger Yordan Alvarez, who is batting .365 with five homers in June. Alvarez was dealing with a family matter, but could return Wednesday, manager Joe Espada said.